RNC Milwaukee: Sex trafficking prevention advocates ready to help
MILWAUKEE - As 50,000 people converge on Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention next week, organizations say everyone should be on the lookout for sex trafficking.
"We will do a same-day intake. We will do everything we can to help them," said Debbie Lassiter, Convergence Resource Center founder and CEO. "We’re ready, and we’re ready to partner with people that also want to help."
Convergence Resource Center is an organization that works to end sex trafficking. For the past seven years, Lassiter has traveled to the Super Bowl and rescued victims.
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"If it’s anything like the Super Bowl, there are going to be people brought here against their will," she said.
Researchers said evidence is mixed – that more people in town means more instances of sex trafficking. But advocates said it's also a chance to raise awareness.
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"Really maximize the opportunity of having so many new people in our city to be able to share the steps that can be taken to help address and prevent sex trafficking," said Constance Kostelac of the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Kostelac helped write an MCW report on sex trafficking ahead of the convention.
"In about a five-year period, we had just 140 incidents that were reported to the Milwaukee Police Department alone," she said.
Kostelac said people should look for signs like scars and tattoos, as well as timid behavior. Don't be afraid to call for help; with more eyes on the city, advocates want people to look deeper.